Legends year after year

According to legend, there was a monster named Nian in ancient China, with long tentacles and a ferocious face. Nian lived on the seabed for many years, and climbed ashore every New Year's Eve, eating livestock and hurting people's lives. Therefore, every New Year's Eve, people in the village fled to the deep mountains to avoid the harm of the "Nian" beast.

One year on New Year's Eve, people in Taohua Village were rushing up the mountain to take refuge. An old beggar came from outside the village. He was leaning on crutches, carrying a bag on his arm, with elegant silver whiskers and staring at Matthew. Some villagers sealed windows and locked doors, some packed their bags, some herded cattle and drove sheep, and people shouted hisses everywhere, which was a scene of panic. At this time, who still has the mind to take care of this begging old man? Only an old woman in the east of the village gave the old man some food and suggested that he go up the mountain quickly to avoid Nian beast. The old man smiled and said, "If my mother-in-law lets me stay at home for one night, I will definitely drive Nian beast away." The old woman looked at him carefully in surprise and found that he was handsome, energetic and different. But she continued to persuade and begged the old man to laugh without saying a word. My mother-in-law had no choice but to leave home and take refuge in the mountains.

At midnight, Nian beast broke into the village. It found that the atmosphere in the village was different from previous years: the old woman's house at the east end of the village had red paper on the door and bright candles in the room. The beast Nian trembled and let out a long whistle. Nian stared at her mother-in-law's house for a while, then screamed and rushed over. As we approached the door, there was a sudden explosion in the yard. Nian trembled and dared not go any further. It turns out that Nian was most afraid of red, fire and explosion. At this time, my mother-in-law's door was wide open, and I saw an old man in a red robe laughing in the hospital. "Nian" was frightened to disgrace and fled in confusion.

The next day was the first day of the first month, and the people who came back from refuge were very surprised to see that the village was safe and sound. At this time, the old woman suddenly realized and quickly told the villagers the promise of begging for the elderly. Villagers flocked to the old woman's house, only to find red paper on her mother-in-law's door, a pile of unburned bamboo still exploding in the yard, and several red candles in the house still glowing ...; In order to celebrate the auspicious arrival, ecstatic villagers put on new clothes and hats one after another and went to their relatives and friends' homes to congratulate and say hello. The story soon spread in the surrounding villages, and people knew the way to drive away the "Nian" beast.

Since then, every year on New Year's Eve, every family has posted red couplets and set off firecrackers. Every household has a bright candlelight, so it is better to wait for the New Year. In the early morning of the first day, I want to say hello to my relatives and friends. This custom spread more and more widely and became the most solemn traditional festival in China. In ancient times, there was a little demon named Chong. On New Year's Eve, he came out and touched the head of a sleeping child. The child often cried with fear, and then he had a headache and became a fool. Therefore, on this day, every family will turn on the lights and stay up late, which is called "keeping special". There was a couple who had a son in their later years and regarded him as their favorite. On New Year's Eve, they were afraid that "worship" would harm their children, so they took out eight copper coins to play with them. When the child fell asleep playing, they wrapped eight copper coins in red paper and put them under the child's pillow. The couple dare not sleep. In the middle of the night, an evil wind blew the door open and blew out the lights. As soon as Chong reached out to touch the child's head, the pillow flashed all over the floor, scaring Chong away. The next day, the couple told everyone about wrapping eight copper coins in red paper to scare them away. After that, everyone learned, and the children were safe. It turns out that these eight copper coins were exchanged by the Eight Immortals to secretly protect the children. Because "pilgrimage" and "old" are homophonic, it gradually evolved into "lucky money" In the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was called lucky money. What elders give their children is also called lucky money. "So some places call giving children lucky money' string money'. In modern times, it has evolved into a kind of red paper wrapped in 100 copper coins, which is given to the younger generation, meaning "long life". "For an adult mistress, put a silver dollar in a red paper bag, which means" one book is profitable ". After the currency is changed to paper money, the elders like to go to the bank to change their children into new paper money with face numbers, wishing them "promotion step by step".